HEART DISEASE and CHOLESTEROL Cardiovascular disease can take many forms: high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, valvular heart disease, stroke, or rheumatic fever/rheumatic heart disease. In the United States, more than 80 million Americans have some form of cardiovascular disease. About 2400 people die every day of cardiovascular disease. Cancer, the second largest killer, accounts for a little more than half as many deaths. Coronary artery disease, the most common form of cardiovascular disease, is the leading cause of death in America today. But thanks to many studies involving thousands of patients, researchers have found certain factors that play an important role in a person's chances of developing heart disease. These are called risk factors. Risk factors are divided into two categories: major and contributing. Major risk factors are those that have been proven to increase your risk of heart disease. Contributing risk factors are those that doctors think can lead to an increased risk of heart disease, but their exact role has not been defined. The more risk factors you have, the more likely you are to develop heart disease. Some risk factors can be changed, treated, or modified, and some cannot. But by controlling as many risk factors as possible through lifestyle changes, medicines, or both, you can reduce your risk of heart disease. WHAT IS CHOLESTEROL? Cholesterol is a fat-like substance called a lipid that is found in all body cells. Your liver makes all of the cholesterol your body needs to form cell membranes and to make certain hormones. Extra cholesterol enters your body when you eat foods that come from animals, like meats, eggs, and dairy products. Although we often blame the cholesterol found in foods that we eat for raising blood cholesterol, the main culprit is actually saturated fat. Foods rich in saturated fat include butter fat in milk products, fat from red meat, and tropical oils such as coconut oil. Blood cholesterol levels, which tell how much lipid or fat is in the blood, are expressed in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). In general, you want to have a cholesterol level below 200 mg/dL. Between 200 mg/dL and 239 mg/dL, your cholesterol level is elevated or borderline-high and should be lowered if you can. With a level of 240 mg/dL or above, your cholesterol level is high, and there is a need for action. For example, changing your diet, beginning an exercise program, and taking cholesterol-lowering medicines are all ways to lower your cholesterol level. Low-density Lipoprotein LDL particles deliver cholesterol to your cells. LDL cholesterol is often called "bad cholesterol" because high levels are thought to lead to heart disease. Too much LDL in the blood causes a fatty buildup (plaque) to form on artery walls, which starts a disease process called atherosclerosis. When plaque builds up in the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart, you are at greater risk of having a heart attack. Your LDL levels may be high if you eat a diet with a lot of saturated fat, cholesterol, or both. High-density Lipoprotein HDL particles carry cholesterol from your cells back to your liver, where it can be removed from your body. HDL is known as "good cholesterol" because high levels are thought to lower your risk of heart disease. If you have low HDL levels, you have a greater heart disease risk, even if your total cholesterol is below 200 mg/dL. Low HDL is often the result of physical inactivity, obesity, or smoking. It is also common for people who have type 2 diabetes mellitus to have low HDL levels. Triglycerides Triglycerides are fats that provide energy for your muscles. Like cholesterol, they are delivered to your body's cells by lipoproteins in the blood. If you eat foods with a lot of saturated fat or carbohydrates, you will raise your triglyceride levels. Elevated levels are thought to lead to a greater risk of heart disease, but scientists do not agree that high triglycerides alone are a risk factor for heart disease. People with high triglycerides are often obese or have low levels of HDL cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes, all of which are risk factors for heart disease. Total Cholesterol A measure of total cholesterol in the blood is found by adding up the cholesterol carried in LDL particles, HDL particles, and other lipoproteins. All adults 20 years or older should have what is called a full lipoprotein profile once every 5 years
Cardiovascular disease can take many forms: high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, valvular heart disease, stroke, or rheumatic fever/rheumatic heart disease. In the United States, more than 80 million Americans have some form of cardiovascular disease. About 2400 people die every day of cardiovascular disease. Cancer, the second largest killer, accounts for a little more than half as many deaths.
Coronary artery disease, the most common form of cardiovascular disease, is the leading cause of death in America today. But thanks to many studies involving thousands of patients, researchers have found certain factors that play an important role in a person's chances of developing heart disease. These are called risk factors.
Risk factors are divided into two categories: major and contributing. Major risk factors are those that have been proven to increase your risk of heart disease. Contributing risk factors are those that doctors think can lead to an increased risk of heart disease, but their exact role has not been defined.
The more risk factors you have, the more likely you are to develop heart disease. Some risk factors can be changed, treated, or modified, and some cannot. But by controlling as many risk factors as possible through lifestyle changes, medicines, or both, you can reduce your risk of heart disease.
WHAT IS CHOLESTEROL?
Cholesterol is a fat-like substance called a lipid that is found in all body cells. Your liver makes all of the cholesterol your body needs to form cell membranes and to make certain hormones. Extra cholesterol enters your body when you eat foods that come from animals, like meats, eggs, and dairy products. Although we often blame the cholesterol found in foods that we eat for raising blood cholesterol, the main culprit is actually saturated fat. Foods rich in saturated fat include butter fat in milk products, fat from red meat, and tropical oils such as coconut oil.
Blood cholesterol levels, which tell how much lipid or fat is in the blood, are expressed in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). In general, you want to have a cholesterol level below 200 mg/dL. Between 200 mg/dL and 239 mg/dL, your cholesterol level is elevated or borderline-high and should be lowered if you can. With a level of 240 mg/dL or above, your cholesterol level is high, and there is a need for action. For example, changing your diet, beginning an exercise program, and taking cholesterol-lowering medicines are all ways to lower your cholesterol level.
Low-density Lipoprotein
LDL particles deliver cholesterol to your cells. LDL cholesterol is often called "bad cholesterol" because high levels are thought to lead to heart disease. Too much LDL in the blood causes a fatty buildup (plaque) to form on artery walls, which starts a disease process called atherosclerosis. When plaque builds up in the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart, you are at greater risk of having a heart attack. Your LDL levels may be high if you eat a diet with a lot of saturated fat, cholesterol, or both.
High-density Lipoprotein
HDL particles carry cholesterol from your cells back to your liver, where it can be removed from your body. HDL is known as "good cholesterol" because high levels are thought to lower your risk of heart disease. If you have low HDL levels, you have a greater heart disease risk, even if your total cholesterol is below 200 mg/dL. Low HDL is often the result of physical inactivity, obesity, or smoking. It is also common for people who have type 2 diabetes mellitus to have low HDL levels.
Triglycerides
Triglycerides are fats that provide energy for your muscles. Like cholesterol, they are delivered to your body's cells by lipoproteins in the blood. If you eat foods with a lot of saturated fat or carbohydrates, you will raise your triglyceride levels. Elevated levels are thought to lead to a greater risk of heart disease, but scientists do not agree that high triglycerides alone are a risk factor for heart disease. People with high triglycerides are often obese or have low levels of HDL cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes, all of which are risk factors for heart disease.
Total Cholesterol
A measure of total cholesterol in the blood is found by adding up the cholesterol carried in LDL particles, HDL particles, and other lipoproteins. All adults 20 years or older should have what is called a full lipoprotein profile once every 5 years